Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-15
JAMIE cREpr rnnouGm IN lrss ro
LOWED HIM.

LOWED HIM
stop before you begin" she SaIu nave
you anything to eat herci / am nearly
starving"
Jantje grinned knowingly, and, grubbing
in n heap of rubbish in the corner, fished out
a gourd with piece of fiat sheet iron which
had once formed the back plate of stove
placed on the top. 1t contained "moas," OF
curdled buttermilk, which woman had
brought him down that very morning from 81
neighboring kraal, and was destined for
Jantje's own supper. Hungry he was
himself, for he had had no food all day, he.
gave it to jess without a moments hesita-
ton, together with a wooden spoon, and.
| squatting on the rock before her, watched her
eat it with cultural ordinations Of satisfac-
| ton. Not knowing that She was rohbing a.
| hungry man, jess ate the MAS to the .ast
spoonful, and was grateful to feel the scusa
ton of gnawing sickness leave her.
"Now" she said, tell me what yen meauf
Thereon Jantje began at the beginning ans
related the events of the day SO far as he
was acquainted with them. When he came
to where the old man was dragged, with
kicks and blows and ignominy, from his OWE
house, Jess eyes flashed. and she positively
ground her teeth with Indignation; and as for
her feelings, when she learned that he was
condemned to death and to be shot at dawn
on the morrow, they simply bafiled descrip-
ton. OF the Bessie complication Jantie was
quite ignorant, and could only tell her that
| Frank Muller had an interview with her sis
ter in the little plantation, and that after that
she was shut up in the store room, where she
still was. But this was quite enough for Jess.
| who knew Muers character better, perhaps
than anybody else, and was not by any means
| ignorant Of his designs upon Bessie. A few
moments thought put the key of the matter
into her hand. She now what was the rea-
son of the granting of the pass and of the deter
mined and partially successful attempt at
wholesale murder of which they had been the
victims. She saw, too, why her old uncle had
been condemned to death-that was to be
used as a lever with Bessie; the man was ca
pable even of that Yes, she saw it all as clea,
as daylight; and in her heart she swore, help
less as she seemed to be, that she would find
a way to prevent it, But what way what
wayi All, if only John were here But he
was not, SO she must act without him if only
she could see the way to action She thought
first of all Of going down boldly and facing
| Muller and denouncing him as q murderer
before his men; but moments reflection
showed that this was impracticable. For his
own safety he would be obliged to stop her
mouth somehow, and the best she could ex-
pect would be to be incarcerated and rendered
quite powerless If only she could manage t.
communicate with Bessie! At any rate, il
was ahsolu ely necessary that she should know
what was going on. She might as well DO "a
hundred miles away hundred yards.
"Jant e," she said, tell me where the Beers
are"
Some are in the wagon house, missile, SOM,
are on sentry, and the rest are down by the
| tttrht tvith that,
spanned behind the gums there. The cart is
there, too, that came just before you did,
with the clergyman in it.
"And where is Frank Muer:'
II don't know, missile: but he brought IA
round tent with him in the wagon, and it is
pitched between the two big gums
"Jantje, must go down there and find out
what is going ON, and You must come with
me-"
"You will be caught, missile. There is u
sentry at the back of the wagon house and
two in front. But lie added, perhaps we
might get near. will 60 out and look 1t the
night"
Presently he returned and said Tat e.
small rain" had come on and the c!,u,., GOV
cred up the stars so that it was very dark
well, let US go at once said jess
"Missie, you had better not 60" ats wereo
the Hottentot "You will get wet and the
Beers will catch you, Better let me 80.
can creep about like snake and if the Beers
catch me it won't natter
"You must come too, but | am going
must find OUT
Then the Hottentot shrugged his shoulders
and yielded, and having extnguished tho
candle silently as ghosts they crept out into
the night.